While we all love to dream about our next holiday, it’s crucial not to overlook the importance of travel insurance. It may not be the most exciting part about booking a trip abroad, but it could save you thousands should the worst happen. After all, a summer getaway is already one of the biggest expenses of the year.
Kelly Whittington, travel claims director at Aviva, emphasises that travel insurance can provide “valuable peace of mind”. She explains that potential claims could range from accidents or illnesses requiring medical assistance abroad, theft of personal possessions, or incidents prior to the trip that necessitate cancellation, such as injury or bereavement.
Here is her key advice on avoiding common travel insurance pitfalls:
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1. Don’t leave it until the last minute to secure your cover.
“Crucially, people should buy travel cover as soon as they book their holiday,” advises Whittington. This ensures that if an unforeseen event like illness or injury forces you to cancel your holiday, your insurer should cover any costs that can’t be recovered elsewhere. She explained: “If someone plans to buy their insurance at the airport, they won’t be covered if an emergency happens two weeks before their departure date.”
2. Always read the small print to ensure the policy meets your specific needs.
Whittington advises that holidaymakers with plans for activities such as scuba diving should verify if their policies have coverage for these. She says, “Similarly, people should check that their cover is valid for their destination country. Most insurers will offer either worldwide or European travel insurance, which provides cover in certain parts of the globe.”
“Worldwide policies can include USA, Canada and the Caribbean, although most will stipulate the countries it covers.” She adds, “The same goes for European insurance policies, which can vary from provider to provider. Checking your policy documents will only take a few minutes, but could save you thousands of pounds in the event you need to make a claim and your policy doesn’t cover your destination country.”
She explained that taking a few minutes to review your policy documents ‘could save you thousands’ should you need to make a claim and your destination isn’t covered.
3. Not telling insurers about any medical conditions.
Whittington also emphasises the importance of disclosing all medical history information to your insurer, as well as any health changes between the time you purchase the policy and your trip dates. She explains: “This allows the insurer to appropriately assess the medical risks each customer poses, along with any other risks, in order to provide cover at a fair price.”
Though getting affordable coverage can be more challenging for those with significant medical history, assistance is available. Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity, provides resources to help individuals with cancer navigate travel insurance options.
Recent research conducted by Macmillan and YouGov revealed that a quarter (24%) of UK residents who have received a cancer diagnosis harbour serious concerns about travel insurance. The British Insurance Brokers’ Association provides a directory of specialist providers on its website for individuals requiring travel insurance with a severe medical condition.
4. Not shopping around.
Alongside Whittington’s advice, it’s crucial to compare quotes from a variety of providers to secure the best deal that fits your requirements.
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